Date

5-20-2026

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Bible Exposition (PhD)

Chair

Page Brooks

Keywords

Humanity is the object of God's love, the Primeval History, foundation of Genesis, God's love, agape, Genesis, humanity, God's attributes, creation, judgement, mercy, divine grief, flood, imago dei, human pride

Disciplines

Religion | Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Abstract

Most scholars turn to the New Testament when exploring the concept of divine love, citing passages such as John 3:16 and 1 John 4:8 to illustrate God’s sacrificial love through Christ. However, this dissertation reexamines the Primeval History of Genesis 1:1–11:9 as a foundational witness to divine love, arguing that these early chapters reveal humanity as the object of God’s enduring affection, even in the absence of the Hebrew term ʾāhāḇ (“love”). Rather than focusing solely on the term “love,” it is crucial to consider the nature of God himself. Scholars widely agree that the assertion “God is love” (1 John 4:8) refers to the very essence of God’s being. Therefore, any discussion of God’s love for humanity must engage with his nature as revealed throughout the biblical canon, particularly in the Primeval History of Genesis 1:1–11:9. Through a four-action framework (provision, protection, preservation, and redirection), this study analyzes key divine interventions to demonstrate how love is expressed through creation, care, mercy, covenant, and judgment. Far from being a mere prologue, Genesis 1–11 offers profound theological insight into God’s relational nature and sets the stage for the fuller revelation of divine love in the New Testament.

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